Why We Should Read On Whims ft. Marvellous Books I’ve Read Via Whim.

Taking a break from my highly opinionated posts. . .

Today I will be discussing the beauty of whims. Whimsical writing is by far my favourite writing styles, but reading on a whim? EVEN BETTER, yet, I hardly pick up books on a complete whim anymore, but recently, I’ve started to do it more!! Kristin did a post a while ago on books that she picked up on a whim, and it inspired this post, so go check it out!

Some Books I’ve read on a whim:

Turtles All The Way Down: I was really nervous about this book, and I decided that I wouldn’t read it, but then while I was in London, I wandered upon a Foyles and then thought “why not?” I didn’t even know what the book was about, but I was nervous about it being a John Green book since I tend to love or hate them. .. But I then read this book, and OH MY I loved it so much. . .

Warcross: I didn’t know anything about this book, and to be honest, I didn’t know if I would like this book, and I’d heard mixed things about the author’s previous books. I just saw it on amazon and just bought it.

Illuminae: NGKDSJNGDFKJGNDFJG Okay. everyone was going on about these books, but I still only knew it was about spaceships and that seemed pretty cool, so again. . . why not?

The Raven Boys: This was mainly because of multiple people screaming on this internet about this series. I had no idea what it was about, and I just took all the flailing on the internet as a good sign.

THUG: I heard that it was own voices and I just had to read it.

Recognise some of these? YEP. Not only are they popular books, but they’re some of the books that I scream about, until my voice is hoarse, on this blog the most!*

MY SWEET RAVEN BOYS!!!!! NIKKK. EMIKAAAAAA. STARRRRRRR.

… continuing on from the minor freakout… some of the best books that I’ve read / the books that surprised me the most were books were books that I picked up completely on a whim. And to be honest, I’m not surprised!! Here’s why:

*because we all know, a book is only popular if I scream about it. . .

fewer expectations.

This makes sense? If you go into a book not knowing much about it, and not really knowing about the hype that may surround it, then there’s less chance for you to be let down since you don’t expect it to be “OMG AMAZING!!” and to make you want to hand out cake to the world because you’re so full of joy because you found this perfect book!!

Sometimes you go from this:

to this:

because your expectations are just too high, and it’s not even your fault they’re that way.

I don’t know about you, but when I get really excited about reading a book, I get SO HYPED but then when I get around to actually reading the book, I just feel like it was too hyped up because of how much other people had been talking about it and therefore I start to think that it’s going to be the best book in the world. It happened recently withSimon Vs. which I was pretty bummed about, but still really enjoyed!!

fewer spoilers hitting you in the face.

I think that especially if you’re reading a hidden gem on a whim, it’s really easy not to find any spoilers. Or, if you’ve stumbled upon a semi-hyped book, and you just think “I’ll buy that!!”, and you haven’t really seen much about it (reviews etc,) then it’s so much easier not to come across things that could spoil it.

And also!! If you weren’t really interested in reading the book before, you wouldn’t really read many reviews for it, (or get spoiled) but thennnn if you pick it up, it can really surprise you and can be really unexpected and you can really enjoy it!! (COUGH WHAT HAPPENED WITH TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN COUGH)knowing less of the premise = more surprises = happy smol readers.

I’m sure I’m not the only potato that likes to have huge plot twists and get constantly surprised? Exactly, no!! No one likes to read a book’s blurb and then know literally the entire plot of the book or to have read the blurb, and then be able to guess what happens as they read.

I generally only like going into books with a brief (VERY VERY BRIEF) idea of what the book is about. That way, it’s easier to be surprised by what happens? For example, when I read Simon Vs. I literally had no idea what it was about, apart from someone who was coming out as gay and that he had awesome friends. I kid you not. And I LOVED that book!!

I think that reading on a whim is generally a nice thing to do since you don’t subconsciously put pressure on the book to be soooo outstanding and completely brilliant since you’re not hyping it up in your head as much.

What do you think about reading on a whim? do you read on whims or do you like to read reviews first? Would you ever read a book on a whim? Do you think there’s something that links cover-buys and reading on whims? Do you think that it’s easy to read books on a whim will all the coverage that they get? Let me know!

[…] there’s nothing wrong with reading books on a whim, i think that’s actually great (a really old post about that here) but right now, i want to be picky with what i read. I don’t read a lot of books / buy a lot […]

ugh. i’m like. harboring anger toward you for how amazing your blog is all the time. not really b/c i’m so thrilled to read it always, but really, one great post after another? you’re making the rest of us look bad.

i love reading books on a whim!!! i read The Raven Boys completely blind too and it was just…the best ever. i need to do that more often?? thank you for the beautiful reminder

I literally cannot plan out what books to read??? I try but it DOESN’T HAPPEN. I always end up reading something else either because the cover’s pretty or because someone recommended it. And it works out pretty great for me!

I so miss reading books on whims. I mean, I love Goodreads, but it really makes it hard to just sit down with something with 0 expectations and just love it naturally. I think I loved books more (or at least differently) when I wasn’t so in-tune with the book community.

OMG YES L. Goodreads is so good for hyping up so many books, which is good… but also bad! Yes so felt it was so much easier to go into a book and just read it and let it be amazing because you’re not having to form really solid opinions about it for a review or something!

I don’t usually buy books on a whim but that’s mostly because I have a whole lot of books I still need to read so when I *do* go book shopping it’s for a specific one..,and whatever’s on bargain.
Ahem.
If I’m at a booksale though, I totally pick books on a whim and I actually found one of my favorite authors that way, so hidden jems can definitely be found!
I *don’t* usually read reviews before getting a book but I often hear about books through reviews, so I read the review and might be inspired to pick up the book. Does that make any sense?

As you’ve said, some of the best books I’ve ever read, I read because I knew nothing about them. Warcross was one of them; Gentleman’s Guide was another. I get very very nervous of reading hyped books: I always worry I’ll get disappointed by them, although that hasn’t happened majorly yet. I just go into books with as few expectations as possible.

Oh I agree with this! It’s so much nicer to read without the pressure of high expectations (and already knowing some stuff – I know some people like spoilers but nope!! Not me. Unless the spoiler is ‘everything’s going to be fine your fave isnt’ going to die’ but that’s the only exception haha) and it makes it so much easier to fall in love with a book. I mean, even if a book is good, if you had expected more it can still be a disappointment, causing me to love a book less. Love this post!

okay so I definitely read books on a whim?? now I’m kinda planning out what I’m reading (except idk what’s after my current book lmao) but whenever I go to the library, I usually check out random books on the Newest Releases shelves! I don’t pick up books that aren’t on my TBR tho??? but still on a whim haha.

AND YES. I LOOOVE going into the book without any expectations. I am always being disappointed by books — whether it be because it’s not 5 stars like I thought but more of a 4-star read, or like, it was HORRIBLE. (cough CITY OF BRASS)

Oh whim reading is one of my favourite things because all the books I’ve picked up on a whim have become favourites of mine. I think the best was Illuminae, I only picked it up because I saw it in a bookshop (and saw loads of people talking about it so was curious enough to give it a chance when I spotted the cover) and it’s now a favourite of mine. Another was Defy the Stars, I can’t even remember reading the blurb before reading the book but again it’s a favourite of mine now. 🙂
Fewer expectations is definitely why I love whim reads so much, you never know what you’re going to discover when you pick something new up and that’s part of the joy of it right?
Great post Lu. 🙂 ❤

Thank you so much ❤
OMG YES me too!!!! Same here with Illuminae!!! Yeah, you never know what you're going to get and that's so refreshing. I just go The Hazelwood, and I have NO idea what it's about, but I'm excited to read it!

Not sure if I read very much on a whim? I think I plan out my reading, as in lists of books I want to read. Now, I do try to avoid spoilers and don’t read reviews for books until I’ve read them. I’ll have to see if I read about picking up books on a whim, just to see the difference!

I used to do that too! I used to list all the books that I wanted to read, but now since there are so many I just think “I feel like reading this!” and have given up with reading in any planned list ahah!! Do try to, I think that it’s really nice to go into a book not knowing much about it!

In middle school when I wasn’t book blogging and a new library opened up nearby, I immediately got a membership and started reading. Because I knew nothing, I simply went around the shelves and picked up random books from several genres. I’ve found almost all of my all-time favourites this way and I really want to do it again but sadly the library shut down a few years back and I’m heartbroken. Also since I’m in the book blogging community now, it’s harder to pick up books on a whim because I have a huge TBR and new releases to keep up with. It clashes *sigh*
Great post, though!

I love reading on a whim but I neve actually do it! Because books cost money and – I have none. Also the shipping takes forever so I so bulk bookhauls with a limited number… about 12 books. Ergo I have to know I’ll absolutley to the moon and back 100% certainty LOVE THEM. So I basically read every single thing there is a about a book before buying it. Nu surprises for me good sir!!

But I found some gems while just stumbling on a 5 star rated book or just a synopsis I heard some buzz about and it stuck with me and that’s how I found SPELLBOOK OF THE LOST AMD FOUND MY FAVE BOOK EVER THAT I DON’T SHUT UP ABOUT. so definitely trust your dragonish instincts for they shall never betray youu… possibly… hopefully no betrayals

Nopeee I have too few libraries and none nearby and also in my country you can’t request book because woe is you and how dare you think you can do anything you like and they don’t bring in new foreign releases. Wowww…that sounds so sad now that I typed it ouuut. I need a cookie to cheer myself up.

Ok LEMME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT SPELL BOOK BECAUSE IT IS MY FAVE BOOK EVER IT HAS BISEXUAL WITCHES AND STRANGE THINGS AND IT’S DARK BUT ALSO REALISTIC AND STRANGE AND QUIRKY AND IT REMINDS ME OF THE RAVEN BOYS BUT WITH GIRLS AND ALSO MORE LOST THINGS IDK SEARCH IT ON GOODREADS I HAVE A REVIEW JUST FANGIRLING ABOUT IT BASICALLY READ IT IT’S GREAT. My second fave book of last year and it lost number 1 only to cassie so you KNOW its good.

If I’m planning to buy a book, I’ll read several reviews first. Otherwise, reading on whim is definitely my favourite way of reading.

I love going to the library and randomly picking up books because they look/sound interesting. I had never even heard of Six of Crows or A Darker Shade of Magic before I borrowed them – now, I’m obsessed with both.

You’ve got the expectations part spot on – I was expecting so much from Turtles All The Way Down that I ended up not enjoying it. Personally, I feel it’s become difficult to read on whim since entering the book blogosphere.

Oh I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it, i think that the reason that i did enjoy it is because i didn't have high expectations because I knew hardly anything about it and also… I could never tell what direction it was going in (adn it didn't seem to be going anywhere) but i ended up really liking that when i usually don't???

And I TOTALLY agree with it being harder to read on whims since entering the book community. I think that because so many books get SO hyped it almost impossible to not hear anything about the book before you read it. I think that it's both good and bad. Good because it means that people's opinions are being heard, but bad because that means spoilers etc!!